SHOLING boss Dave Diaper paid ample tribute to GE Hamble after his side were outclassed 4-0 in last night’s friendly at Follands Park.

It was the Sydenhams League side who looked the more accom¬ plished as Ashley Jarvis (2), Jamie Musselwhite and Rory Williams ganged up on their Southern League neighbours.

“You’ve got to give credit to Hamble, they were the much better team,” admitted Diaper. “Musselwhite caused us problems and Jarvis and Williams were superb.

“We didn’t turn up on the night and we got done.”

Hamble’s director of football Danny Bowers said: “Rory and Jarvo were both offered the chance to go to Sholing in the summer, so it was nice for those two. We played really well and looked very strong.”

Winchester City twice went in front against Basingstoke Town, but were eventually beaten 3-2 – floored by a late winner from former AFC Totton striker Stefan Brown.

Guy Butters’s Southern Premier new boys took a 37th-minute lead through the impressive Steffan Gaisie following a mistake by Town triallist Keon Mendoza.

Ex-Saints and Eastleigh forward Jordace Holder-Spooner levelled around the hour mark with a 20-yarder into the top corner before Carlos Geteski restored City’s lead ten minutes later.

That was quickly snuffed out by a Conor McCarthy own goal from Matt Warner’s cross and Basingstoke edged victory when Stuart Lake headed down for Brown to flick in.

“We switched things in the last half-hour, making several changes, and looked a bit disorganised. But for that, we would have won the game,” said City owner Paul McCarthy. “Our starting 11 – minus Michael Charles who has the flu – looked superb.”